


Thank you

by KizaKurosaki15



Category: The Evil Within (Video Game)
Genre: Goodbyes, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Reunions, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 09:02:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13096806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KizaKurosaki15/pseuds/KizaKurosaki15
Summary: "Thank you, Seb." Joseph said, but this time for an entirely different reason.





	Thank you

"Safe Haven has been a place of peace and Sanctuary for all of us who remained trapped in the STEM system. The CORE-"

[I]"JOSEPH."

"Has graciously provided all of us at a second chance of /living/ here at his own expense. Torres, Hoffman and O'Neal all know this. Why would they think it's a good idea to trust /you/ of all people is beyond me. Especially considering /you shot him/." Why, oh why did Kidman AND Sebastian have to show up now?

Everything in Safe Haven had been going fine. Until recently. It took a lot of will power and such to keep this place intact. So it was mentally and emotionally taxing on Joseph. And to top it off, something or someone was upsetting him, Stefano didn't know what it could possibly be until he finally ran into these two. That's when he finally understood.

The others, Hoffman and Torres had brought them right to Stefano as he was in charge of Joseph's saftey, asking if he would let them speak to the man who was proving them a home. He normally wouldn't have a issue with this, but the moment he saw Kidman and Sebastian- then he had a problem.

"That was four years ago, during the Beacon incident." The woman said her eyes narrowed at the artist who only have her a blank stare. He was in no way intimidated by her. There was nothing she could do that would actually harm him. "Listen we need to speak to him-",

"No, what you want to do is take him out of the system /you/ put him in." Stefano corrected. He wasn't wrong. Three years ago she had stuck Joseph into a small STEM system so they could see if a adult could be a CORE. It was a success, and not wanting to ruin what they accomplished, Kidman herself had suggested they keep Joseph trapped in there and allow him to build a place of his own choosing.

Which he had done. At first, from what Stefano was told anyway, was that he had only made a small room, his old office back at KCPD. And he rarely ever left it or even tried to establish a communication with any Mobius agent even though they tried to get a hold of him. This went on for months, that is until someone had Apparently established a communication with him. It later turned out to be the Mobius Psychologist; Yukiko Hoffman.

She managed to get him to lead her to his room, and from there she worked with him. And one by one the others showed up. And as more people showed up, the bigger he made the area. Until finally, he had made a small town by the name of Safe Haven. Here, anyone trapped in the STEM system was welcomed with open arms. As Stefano learned when Joseph found him, after that the artist made it his personal job to keep an eye on the Asian man.

All things Considered, Joseph spent a lot of his time now alone in his 'room'. Resting and focusing on keeping Safe Haven intact. Leaving Hoffman, Torress O'Neal and Stefano to look after everything else. Something they all took with pride.

At least that's what Stefano thought until the town started to crumble. It wasn't dramatic, or anything. But one would notice it if they lived here long enough. Small signs that Joseph was having a hard time keeping this place together. Which is why he guessed they asked him if Sebastian and Kidman could see him. Probably to convince him to let the town go so they could pull him out. Otherwise, they where all stuck here.

"Your awfully protective of /my/ partner." Sebastian growled. The artist scoffed at that phrase; 'My Partner' he said. What a joke.

"Funny how you say that, but it took you /Three years/ to bring him up, and another year for you to ask about him after you found out he was alive."

"Listen here you son of a bitch, Im not above putting a bullet in your-"

"Sebastian! Now is /not/ the time." Juli cut in, glaring at the former detective before she turned her attention to the artist who was glaring at her and the man next to her. He probably wasn't happy that Hoffman and O'Neal had told them where they could find Joseph. "Look, Valentini you have to understand that Joseph can't stay here. Obviously something-"

"Everything has been fine!" He shouted, he growled when Sebastian immeaditly pointed his revolver at him. "Until you showed up. We've been fine here in Safe Haven until you two showed up. Things started to actually fall apart when he sensed two people who aren't supposed to be here, showed up. Throwing off his concentration and making this place fall apart even faster."

"He needs to come home. This place isn't home. He can't live here providing a living space for all of-"

"And who are you to decide that, Castellanos!? He came to us! Telling us of a place where we could all have a second chance at living!"

"Your all using him for your benefit!"

"Stefano?" The yelling immeaditly stopped, the artist quickly turned around at the sound of Joseph's voice. The man's hair wasn't slicked back, his glasses weren't on his face and he looked...tired. dark bags under his eyes, he looked far too thin. "What's going on-"

"Shhh, shh." He said, walking up to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "What are you doing up? I thought you'd be sleeping at least."

"Who's-" the man gently pushed Stefano aside and stared in shock at the other two people in the room. The artist knew that the smaller male was probably trying to decide how to react to what he was seeing. A strong emotional reaction right now with how unstable Safe Haven could possibly lead to the complete break down that was impending.

"Joseph,"

"I was under the impression that you died during the Beacon incident." Sebastian shook his head, lowering his gun and eventually placing it back in it's hoster. Joseph nodded, turning to look at Kidman. "I didn't think I'd see you again. After you shot me, then stuck me in here."

"I would have killed her if Hoffman hadn't gotten in the way-"

"I dare you-"

"Easy." Joseph cut in, placing a hand on Stefano's shoulder to keep him from probably attacking the other two. The Asian man sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why are you here anyway? I thought they tried to only send in trained Mobius agents into Stem." Kidman looked off to the side, she seemed guilty.

"I asked her to bring me here, Joseph." Sebastian answered, stepping forward, ignoring the way Stefano tensed up instantly. He didn't make a move to stop him however, probably because Joseph didn't feel threatened. "I had no idea you where alive. I only found out you where alive while I was trying to save Lily."

"Lily?" Joseph asked, confused. That's right, Joseph didn't know about anything that happened in Union. Probably why Stefano was here, that and if Joseph didn't know, he had always been one to try and give second chances to people. It was who he was after all.

"It's a long story. But she's alive and well. But, believe me Joseph, if I had known you where alive and /here/ of all places I would have come for you ages ago."

"Yes... because your so good at that-"

"Stefano, stop." Joseph scolded lightly. He shook his head then turned his attention back to Sebastian and Kidman. "If your here, then that must mean Mobius is long gone. Right?" He watched the two carefully, the violet eyed woman nodded in response. "And now you want to get me out from here. After four years."

"I know it's been a long time, Joseph. And I'm sorry. But you don't have to stay here." The older former detective Explained, sounding borderline desperate. Joseph gave the man a sad smile. He took a step back and shook his head. This triggered a confused look from his former partner. "What do you mean no?"

"I can't. If I leave, everyone else here is gone forever. I can house their consciousness here, but they have no body to return to. They /can't/ wake up." Joseph explained, looking at Stefano then back at the other two. "Yukiko, Liam, Esmeralda, Stefano, hell even Myra-"

"Myra is here?" Sebastian cut in, Joseph blinked and nodded slowly, Stefano glared when he noticed the sudden change in Joseph's demeanor. Of course, mention the man's wife and all objectives change. This is why he didn't want Joseph to see them, because this would happen.

However, he didn't expect Joseph to willingly stay here for the rest if them. Joseph had a healthy body to return to that was being cared for while he acted as the CORE. He had no real reason to want to stay here now that Sebastian and Juli where here to set him free. After all he wasn't here of his own free will. Had it been anyone else, they would have gladly taken the chance to get out. But, not Joseph. Stefano watched as the three went back and forth.

Could he really keep Joseph here when he had a chance to live again? To rebuild his life? He watched as Sebastian grew angry, he was shouting now. Probably trying to convince Joseph to come with them, Joseph looked....sad, but happy all the same. He supposed seeing his old partner still the same as always gave him a comfort and a sense of peace.

Could he really be that selfish and side with Joseph on this one when Liam, Myra, Esmeralda, and Yukiko all wanted him to wake up and go be free like he had before? Stefano bit his lip as he glanced down at his feet, he then let his gaze wander over to Kidman, she was silent, only adding in her input when she felt it necessary. Which was good, Joseph was still very weary about her. But even she knew that this wasn't a life for him to live.

Stefano sighed heavily, he looked around the room for a moment, his gaze landing on his camera. On it was mostly pictures of Joseph and the others. Group photos or individual ones. He had taken up the hobby of using them in their everyday lives a shit new form of art, and it turned out that a lot more people loved seeing that over anything else. He reached over picking it up and looking at Joseph.

No, he couldn't be that selfish.

"Joseph." The artist called, catching everyones attention. Sebastian went stiff seeing the camera in his hands, Joseph on the other hand was completely relaxed, only giving him a curious look. The Italian man could only smile as he looked down at the camera. He could do this, he would. With red gloved hands, the older male gently grabbed Joseph's hand and placed the said camera in it. "Go." He said, head tilted slightly.

"What?" Taking a deep breath, the artist relaxed.

"Go, let them get you out of here,"

"What?, Are you crazy? If I do-"

"/You/ don't belong here, Joseph." The man spoke over the now frantic looking male. "You have a body to return to, people dying to see you in reality. And no, this isn't easy, and no this wasn't planned. But it's time that you-, no that i accept that I am dead. I lived my time. Everyone you saved and gave a home here in Safe Haven has come to that conclusion." He gave a sad smile at the look the brown eyed male was giving him.

God he looked close to tears, he probably was. He couldn't blame him, Stefano wasn't in any better condition.

"But, if I do you'll all-"

"Go where we need to go and where we should have been all this time." The photographer cut in, placing a hand on Joseph's cheek, using his thumb to wipe away the tears that fell. "Take the camera, when you leave with it, the pictures should be in the computers hard drive. You won't forget about us."

"Why?" Joseph asked, voice sounding small. "Why are you doing this?"

Stefano gave a water chuckle, pulling the man into a hug. "Because it has been a good run. And you deserve to live, Joseph. I won't be selfish anymore. So," he pulled away, and pushed the Asian male to Sebastian, who was quick to hold his partner against his chest. "I leave him and his saftey to you. Here, I was his protector. I looked after his saftey and made sure no harm came to him. Now I pass that mantel back to you. Think you can do that at least, Philistine?" He asked, a smirk on his face.

Sebastian glared at the man, but it faded to a smirk of his own, a challenging one at that. He tightened his grip around Joseph's midsection momentarily as he gave the other man a curt nod. "More than you know, you bastard." He responded with, he looked at Kidman who nodded and rushed off, probably to exit and help them wake up next. The golden eyed male then looked back at Stefano, who was now standing there with Liam, Yukiko, Esmeralda and Myra. "Thank you. All of you, for... everything." Liam merely shrugged, Esmeralda gave the man a cocky smile, Yukiko along with Myra gave a warm smile and wave.

Stefano shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. "Yes, yes. Now go. It's time for you all to go." Sebastian didn't hesitate, he turned and dragged Joseph down the way they came. The Asian male looking back at the group as they left, watching as they got smaller and smaller the further they got. He blinked a few times, to clear his vision, but the next time he opened his eyes, he was staring up at Sebastian's face.

He looked relived. He wasn't registering what he was saying, what was being asked. He looked around the room, and sure enough the room was filled with those strange pods that he was stuck in back at Beacon. "The computer," he mumbled as he was helped to his feet. "Seb- Sebastian the computer-"

"Easy, easy. We'll check it out." He assured his best friend. The smaller man nodded, allowing him to help him over to the black colored computer where Kidman was typing away. She seemed to stop suddenly, a look of shock on her face before it faded into a small smile. "What is it, kid?" Sebastian asked.

She merely motioned for them to look. Once standing in front of the computer, Joseph practically broke into tears again at the sight. He leaned back heavily against Sebastian's chest. On the Computer screen was group photo Liam, Yukiko and Myra on the Left side, on the right was Stefano and Esmeralda. In the middle was Joseph, both Myra and Stefano had arm wrapped around him as he gave a shy but happy smile, Everyone else also smiling, looking genuinely happy.

At the bottom, in Red letters it read 'Thank you for providing us a Safe Haven.' Sebastian frowned, he felt guilty for taking Joseph away from there. But it was for the best, even Stefano and the others had come to see that. "Hey, Kid can you..."

She looked at him and nodded. "Already saved. All the pictures are right here." She said holding up a small flash drive and handing it over to Joseph who took it into his shakey hands. He clutched it tightly to his chest, tears still streaming down his face. "I'll be outside, for when you two are ready." She said, turning away and walking out of the building.

Once alone, Sebastian turned Joseph around so he facing him. "Shhh, shhhh." The man hushed gently, hugging his former partner tightly; one arm wrapped around his waist the other around his shoulders. Joseph wasn't a loud crier, his cries where silent, but his shoulders shook. "Hey, Joseph listen I know you cared about them..and i-"

"Thank you." Joseph cut in, making Sebastian stop talking. He was unsure of why Joseph was thanking him, considering how upset he seemed to be. "Thank you for coming for me. Thank you for caring about them as well." He said softly, Sebastian almost didn't catch the words. The former detective sighed, pushing the man away just enough to see his face. Bringing a hand up, he wiped away the tears from his face, mindful of the thick framed glasses.

"Anything for my Partner." He mumbled the reply before pressing his lips against Joseph's. He was going to pull away, feeling g as if he overstepped a line, but when Joseph grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him back in, he relaxed. After a few moments, the need for air made them pull apart. Chuckling, Sebastian pressed his forehead to Joseph's, holding his for once, ungloved hands in his own.

"Thank you, Seb." Joseph said, but this time for an entirely different reason.


End file.
